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Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson? UFC boss says it's possible

With a win in his final heavyweight fight, what's next for Daniel Cormier? UFC President Dana White said a meeting with recent light-heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson is possible.

Cormier (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who cruised to a shutout decision victory over Roy Nelson (19-9 MMA, 6-5 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 166 pay-per-view co-headliner, announced ahead of time that he'd drop to light heavyweight after the bout. Cormier is making the cut to avoid a likely collision with heavyweight champ and American Kickboxing Academy teammate Cain Velasquez, who knocked out Junior Dos Santos in UFC 166's headliner.

Cormier, a two-time Olympian, turned pro in 2009 and has already defeated the likes of Antonio Silva, Josh Barnett and Frank Mir. White, though, said "DC's" challenges will be no easier at light heavyweight.

"At 205, I don't know. I don't how he's going to fit into 205," White said. "The 205-pound division has been one of the, if not the, nastiest division in the UFC forever. Guys are faster. A lot of guys are taller in that division. It's just not an easy division to cut down to."

White has previously said Cormier could get an immediate title shot if he made the drop, but with champion Jon Jones (19-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) already slated to fight Glover Teixeira (22-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in March or April, Cormier is going to need to look elsewhere for a challenge.

When asked if Gustafsson (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who lost a narrow split decision to Jones this past month at UFC 165, is a possible opponent, White's eyebrows raised, and he slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah," he said matter of factly.

That potential bout, likely to be a title eliminator, would pit Cormier's dominant wrestling and improved standup game against Gustafsson's proven striking abilities and shored-up takedown defense. It'll also crown a very clear No. 1 contender for after the Jones-Teixeira title fight.

And though White believes Cormier has his work cut out for him at light heavyweight, where Jones has ruled an increasingly competitive group of contenders, he believes the 34-year-old is entering the division with real momentum.

"I thought Cormier looked a million percent better than in the fight he had against Frank Mir," White said. "He wrestled [Nelson]. He beat him standing up. He was kicking more than Roy, who just standing there getting lit up."

Cormier v. Goose works for me. Clearly if he beats Goose, he is the number 1 contender after what Goose did to Jones.

Dude, Iím a wrestler. Iím the best wrestler in MMA. Wrestling IS, was and always has been the most dominate form of mix martial art on the planet. Thatís all there is to it. We all know it, some people want to fight it, some people want doubt it but wresters rule the MMA world. -
Ben Askren

"I don't think he'll win (against Jones) easily, and I'm not 100-percent sure he's going to win. I'm 100-percent sure that it's going to be a hell of a fight and it's going to be the biggest challenge of Jones' life. That I'm 100-percent sure of. Cormier's going to meet an individual who's got the height and knows how to use it, knows how to use it really well. But what Jones is going to meet, he's going to meet a wrestler like he's never faced before. Someone of that level. Now Jones has got to be concerned about going on his back. He can't be thinking about, ‘Okay, it's going to be difficult to take me down.' Now he 100 percent has a legit reason to be careful what he does, because he's going to be on his back whether he likes it or not."

This fight makes sense and gives Jones a well needed rest. I like and I think they should book it. This would be a great superbowl weekend fight maybe setting up a Forth of July or Memorial day showdown with Jones?

"I don't call the fighting in my films 'violent', I call it 'action'. An action film borders between fantasy and reality. If I were to be completely realistic in my films, you would call me a violent, bloody man. I would simply destroy my opponent by tearing his guts out. I wouldn't do it so artistically." ~Bruce Lee

"I have no problem fighting Alexander Gustafsson, not at all," Cormier said. "The one thing I'm concerned about, being that its going to be my first time down at 205, I know that Gustafsson is going to fight in Europe somewhere. Whether it's Sweden or somewhere else in Europe, I don't want to be making my first weight cut down to 205 overseas. I know what I'm going to need, I want to find saunas here in the United States and all the food that I'm comfortable with in order to make the weight."

So with Gustafsson, one of the few names all but guaranteed to sell out a European arena, apparently a no-go, who does that leave? Several top light heavyweights already have matchups lined up. But among the bigger names without a dance partner are Phil Davis and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

"Those are all big fights," Cormier said. "These are the fights that matter. I'm going to need if I'm going to put myself in position to win the championship. I want to fight for the title, man. That was the reason I went. I thought that was going to be my first fight. It doesn't seem that way, in the division I've moved on. To me, L'll Nog, that makes a great fight. Any of those guys, I want a big fight."

Cormier also took a moment to reflect on an eventful night at UFC 166 on Saturday. Cormier scored a one-sided unanimous decision over Roy Nelson in the co-main event, then turned right around and cornered heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez for his fight with Junior dos Santos.

"Going into the Octagon and doing what I was supposed to do against Roy Nelson, that was a big part of my night," Cormier said. "But to go back in Cain Velasquez's corner go back watch my friend Cain Velasquez retain his title? That makes it something, man. Went back, threw my shirt on, and watched Cain put on a great show."